


Swap

by flooj9235



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Genderbending, Multi, Polyjuice Potion, Twoshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-08
Updated: 2013-09-08
Packaged: 2017-12-25 23:16:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/958775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flooj9235/pseuds/flooj9235
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione's got a plan to spend a day with the girl of her dreams, but plans don't always work and things aren't always as they seem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Hermione led Harry to the Owlery, chewing her lower lip nervously. She couldn't believe she was actually about to do this. They reached the top of the steps and Hermione peeked into the room, relieved to see no one around. She ushered him inside and locked the door behind them, turning to face her best friend.

Harry was giving her a very strange look, almost nervous, though he was hiding it under amusement. "Okay, so d'you plan on telling me why you've snuck me off and locked me in the Owlery?" He tutted playfully. "People are going to talk, you know."

Hermione blushed, punching his arm. "Shut up, Harry. This is serious, and needs to stay between you and me." She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to summon up some of her Gryffindor courage. Her plan suddenly seemed completely impossible and far too daunting to ever work.

"Can you promise you won't be mad?" she asked weakly.

Harry gave her an easy shrug. "I'm sure whatever you have to say isn't that bad, 'Mione."

Hermione drew a breath, then forced herself to open her mouth. "I'm... Harry, I like girls."

He looked surprised, but shrugged again and tossed her a grin. "Is that supposed to change anything? It's fine by me, Hermione. So long as you're happy."

Hermione let her shoulders sag with relief. "Really?"

The young man nodded reassuringly. "Definitely."

"Thanks, Harry," she murmured, grabbing him in a hug.

He seemed surprised, but returned the embrace warmly. "No problem. I'd find a better way to tell Ron if I was you, though."

"Oh?" Hermione asked, slightly distracted as she reached up and brushed her fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

An uneasy laugh escaped him. "Yeah. I think he fancies you a bit. He's been asking about you recently."

Surprise filled Hermione as they broke apart. She raised an eyebrow, not sure how to respond.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you, but I guess it'll work itself out." He glanced at his watch. "Uh, not to ruin the moment or anything, but I've got Quidditch practice in thirty minutes."

"Oh! Sorry," Hermione stammered, aiming her wand at the door and unlocking it. "Go on, I don't want you to be late."

A grateful look appeared on his face. "Thanks, 'Mione." He headed for the door, waving at her.

"Thanks again, Harry," she called after him, hearing his reply echo up the staircase. Once he was out of earshot, she sighed, feeling both relieved and ashamed. Hermione carefully opened her clenched fist, revealing a few strands of Harry's hair. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

She pulled a vial out of her bag and slipped the hairs into it, careful not to drop any. Hermione corked the vial tightly, returning it to her bag before leaving the Owlery. As she hurried down the steps, Hermione tried to convince herself she wasn't doing anything wrong... yet.

She hadn't lied about the coming out, that much was real. Hermione had just not mentioned that she was head-over-heels in love with Ginny, who just so happened to be head-over-heels for (not to mention dating) Harry. The brunette had tried forgetting about Ginny and all manner of ways of getting over her, but none of them worked. In the midst of a long night in the library, the perfect idea had occurred to her. If she could spend just a few hours with Ginny as more than friends, she'd cherish that for the rest of her life and never try anything that would ruin their friendship. Her mind had gone back to her second year, and despite a little voice in the back of her mind telling her that it was a terrible idea, Hermione had taken it and run with it.

The brunette made her way back to her room quickly, as though Harry's hair might disappear if she took too long. She entered her dormitory and closed the door behind her, very grateful to McGonagall for making her a Prefect. The bonus of having her own room made her plan immeasurably easier to pull off.

After carefully setting her bag down, Hermione removed the vial and walked over to her closet, opening it and setting the vial on a shelf inside. Content that the vial was in a safe place, she knelt and checked the thick, bubbly contents of her cauldron. It was almost ready. Now all she had to do was wait for the perfect time.

=====:=====

With her Polyjuice potion stored safely in her closet, Hermione went through the next few days carefully, watching and listening for cues that would signal the perfect time to enact her plan. It seemed as though she would be disappointed; every time she thought a good moment was drawing near, Harry and Ginny would plan something together or Ron would insist on making the day into a Quidditch day. While the other three enjoyed those days, Hermione was left to watch from the stands grumpily, her eyes on the girl she'd never have.

Her problem was, she realized, that she needed a time that Harry was off doing something without Ginny, but the couple seemed to be glued together at the hip.

A week passed, and Hermione began worrying that she'd have to brew a new potion, delaying her plan for at least another two months.  _Of course,_ she thought bitterly,  _I'll never get my chance, so it's not like I'll have the need to brew a new potion._

The brunette had nearly given up on getting a day alone with Ginny when, as luck would have it, the perfect opportunity arose.

She had seen Harry and Ron with the Marauder's Map and asked them what they were planning on breaking into. Harry had laughed while Ron had turned red and glanced at her shyly, but they confided in her that they were planning on sneaking out of the castle and going to Hogsmeade.

The brunette ignored Ron's obvious attempts to catch her eye and silly smiles every time she glanced his way, cringing inwardly when she realized Harry had been right; apparently, Ron did like her as more than just a friend. Rather than respond (or even think about) that, she pressed them for information, the Prefect in her wanting to heckle them a little.

They danced around telling her what they were planning on doing in the village, but Hermione didn't particularly care, her mind suddenly filling with images of a romantic evening alone with Ginny. All thoughts of scolding them flew from her brain and she just nodded and agreed, shocked at the turn of events.

"Keep Gin busy, will you?" Harry asked while Ron nodded emphatically, his eyes locked on Hermione and his ears still slightly red. "We haven't told her we're planning on leaving, so just tell her we're playing Quidditch or something."

Hermione nodded, watching silently as the boys finished their plotting and got up to leave. Ron cast her another smitten look as Harry whipped the cloak out of his pocket. The dark haired boy waved at Hermione before he tossed the cloak over their heads. The boys disappeared from view and presumably left the common room.

Hermione was stunned. After all her waiting, the time was finally right. She glanced at the clock on the wall, noting that Ginny still had class for another hour. The brunette retreated to her room and sat in front of her closet as if in a trance, watching the time carefully.

When the clock showed Ginny was getting out of her class, Hermione practically dove into her closet. She pulled out the clothes she'd transfigured to look like some of Harry's, then retrieved a goblet and filled it with her sludgy-looking Polyjuice potion. With shaking hands, she retrieved the vial containing Harry's hair, uncorking it and dumping the hair into the goblet. The potion bubbled and began to smoke, and Hermione sat back on her heels to wait.

After a moment, she decided to change into her Harry clothes, getting a nervous thrill out of her reflection in the mirror. The brunette studied her new attire for a few moments, finally dragging her eyes over to the goblet of Polyjuice potion, knowing it was time for her to drink it.

As Hermione went over and took the drink in her hands, her heart pounding in her ears. She stared into the muddy contents of the cup, realizing (not for the first time) how many people she could end up hurting. Was she really willing to risk everything for a few minutes with Ginny?

"Bugger it," she mumbled, lifting the goblet to her lips. She  **had**  to know what it was like...

The familiar nausea washed over her, accompanied by the alien feeling of her body transforming. Hermione curled up on the floor, taking shallow breaths as she waited the transformation out. Just when she thought she couldn't keep the contents of her stomach down any longer, the strange feelings stopped.

She was almost convinced that it hadn't worked, but when she opened her eyes, the world was blurry. Hermione waved her wand to summon her copy of Harry's glasses, putting them on and being very glad to see the room come into focus.

Hermione sat up carefully, unsure of her movements, and gaped at her reflection in the mirror. She looked exactly like Harry, right down to his cowlick and scar. After her disastrous attempt at using Polyjuice potion in her second year, she was amazed that it had worked so well.

"Merlin's beard," she mumbled, jumping a little at the deeper timbre of her new voice. A grin spread across her face, reflected back at her as Harry's crooked smile.

She got to her feet, testing out her temporary body. After a few moments, she felt comfortable enough to head down to the common room and greet Ginny. Her heart quickened nervously at the thought of actually meeting the redhead and being able to hold her, and for a moment she considered hiding in her room and calling off the whole plan.

Hermione scoffed at herself a second later; she'd already taken the potion, so there was no point in not carrying through with it. She'd never forgive herself if she didn't take the chance.

She left her room, walking down to the common room and standing around somewhat awkwardly for a few moments. Sensing curious gazes on her, Hermione walked over to a window and pretended to be observing the grounds.

A few people called out a "Hey, Harry!" and Hermione had to remind herself to respond to her friend's name. The common room filled with the sounds of students returning from class, and Hermione strained her ears to hear the familiar steps of the girl she loved.

The commotion quieted down after a few minutes, and Hermione panicked; what if she'd missed Ginny, or Ginny hadn't seen her? She couldn't exactly go up to the dorms looking for the redhead, so she would be stuck. Hermione frowned, partly to express her concern and partly to keep the glasses from sliding down her nose.

"Harry?"

Hermione wheeled around at the sound, her eyes coming to rest on Ginny. The disguised girl couldn't keep a smile off her face at the sight of the redhead. "Hi," she responded softly, Harry's voice cracking a little.

Ginny's face was the picture of confusion. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with, er, Ron?"

"Uh..." Hermione's mind went blank and she scrambled for a decent excuse. Harry's words came back to her after an almost too-long pause. "He decided to go out and practice some Quidditch." She pushed the glasses back up her nose; they'd slid down despite her efforts.

"Did Hermione go with him?"

Hermione swore inwardly. "No, she's um... H-Hermione's up in her room, studying for her Arithmancy exam." She stumbled over her own name, barely able to hide her cringe.

Ginny nodded understandingly, casting a glance at the stairs to Hermione's dormitory. She was apparently over her embarrassment, because she turned her gaze back on the girl disguised as her boyfriend. "So, Ron went to practice by himself? You didn't want to tag along?"

"I wanted to stay here and spend some time with you," Hermione responded, thanking whatever deity was listening that she didn't stammer again. Realizing that what had been asked of her was about Quidditch, Hermione wanted to fade into the wall; Ginny would sense something was amiss if she botched the answer. "Besides, he said, er... I mean, he said something about wanting to practice for, uh, tryouts?"

Ginny grinned, an almost giddy look in her eyes. "Nice of you," she said, trying to sound dismissive. A moment later she shook her head, laughing a little. "My brother is bloody mad, Harry. He's still got until next year to practice for tryouts!" She shot her boyfriend a concerned glance a moment later. "Are you feeling all right? You're stammering."

Hermione managed a laugh, desperate to steer the conversation away from Quidditch lest she make a fool of herself and expose everything. "Yeah." She smacked herself inwardly. _Is that the best you can come up with? 'Yeah?' Merlin's beard, Granger! Get it together!_  "I guess we've got the afternoon to ourselves."

"I guess so. What did you want to do, then?" Ginny asked, still looking worried, but putting a sweet smile on her face.

Hermione shrugged, pushing Harry's glasses back up her nose irritatedly.  _How does he stand wearing these?_  "I'm not really sure. I thought we could, er, cuddle?" At the look on Ginny's face, Hermione wanted to slam her face into the nearest wall until she was unconscious.  _How stupid can you get, Granger? This is HARRY you're impersonating!_

Ginny regarded "Harry" strangely for a moment, but shrugged. "Uh, sure, whatever you want, Harry."

Hermione allowed Ginny to take her hand and pull her over to one of the couches by the fireplace. She sat, Ginny plopping beside her somewhat clumsily. The redhead glanced at her uncertainly, offering her pseudo-boyfriend a grin that made Hermione's heart melt.

"Sorry I'm so awkward about it," Ginny apologized. "You've, um, just never come right out and offered it up as a suggestion before."

Hermione felt her (Harry's, she reminded herself) cheeks warm with a blush. "Sorry."

Ginny shrugged, reaching over and grabbing Hermione's hand and giving it a squeeze. "It's all right, you just caught me by surprise." She kissed Hermione on the cheek lightly, shifting closer and curling up into Hermione's side a little awkwardly.

Hermione was in a daze. Ginny was warm and soft and smelled amazing. The disguised brunette draped an arm around Ginny's shoulders tentatively, allowing a smile to grow on her face. She'd imagined what holding Ginny would be like, but the real thing blew her fantasies out of the water.

"How was your day?" she murmured into the redhead's ear, snuggling a little closer to Ginny.

"All right," Ginny answered quietly, sighing contentedly. After a moment, she told Hermione stories from her classes, unknowingly making Hermione's heart swell with emotion at the absurdly normal, yet altogether wonderful moment. The brunette could easily imagine spending the rest of her days snuggled up with Ginny, just talking, and the thought made her nearly delirious with happiness.

When Ginny asked about Harry's day, Hermione did her best to remember a few stories from the classes she'd had with Harry, trying to tell them from Harry's point of view. She was rewarded with soft laughter and happy grins, and Hermione couldn't stop her heart from fluttering in her chest.

After their hushed conversation had trailed off, Hermione was relishing in holding the redhead, doing her best to burn the moment into her memory forever. She knew that soon, she'd have to think up an excuse and leave so she could transform back into herself, but she hadn't even thought about how to pull it off.  _Admit it, Granger. You don't want to think about it because you never want this moment to end._

Before she could think of anything else, Ginny's hand reached up and cupped her cheek, turning Hermione's head toward her. Ginny pressed a kiss to what she thought were Harry's lips.

Hermione gave a surprised little jump, startled at the jolt that ran through her body.

The redhead pulled away, giving her a concerned look.

Hermione shook her head to wave away Ginny's concern and moved back to capture the redhead's lips again, suppressing shivers of pleasure. She'd never even hoped for the opportunity to kiss Ginny, barely even allowing herself to imagine it for fear she lost her common sense and acted on the idea. Now that she'd felt one of Ginny's kisses, she was hooked.

Ginny shifted and made her way onto the disguised girl's lap, lavishing Hermione with affectionate kisses. Tongues battled for dominance and hands began to wander, stopping shyly before they made any real progress. The redhead was the only thing in Hermione's world.

They broke apart for air a few minutes later, and Hermione cracked open an eye to see Ginny still sitting with her eyes closed, a happy smile on the redhead's face.

Hermione couldn't stop a smile of her own at the sight, wishing she could spend the rest of her life like this with Ginny. "I love you, Gin," she murmured, Harry's voice cracking to an abnormally high tone.

A frown passed over Ginny's face at the sound, and she opened an eye. The redhead froze in shock a split second later.

 _Oh, bugger,_ Hermione thought, suddenly uncomfortable under the younger girl's gaze.  _I bet they haven't said that to each other yet._  Then a curly brown lock of what was unmistakably her own hair fell into her face. Hermione's blood ran cold. The potion had worn off.

Before either girl could react, familiar voices came from the portrait hole. Ron and Harry came into view a moment later, laughing about their latest escapade.

"What the bloody hell..." Ron had seen them first, Harry following his gaze a second later.

"What's going on?" Harry's eyes fell on the intimate position of the two girls. "What the hell?" he bellowed, moving toward the girls.

Harry's voice seemed to snap Ginny out of her shock and she scrambled backward, away from Hermione, and ended up falling on her rear on the floor. She got to her feet, a hand to her mouth as she pressed back against the wall.

Harry stopped between the girls, glancing at each of them in turn. "Hermione," he said, his voice tight. "What the bloody hell is going on here? Why does it look like you were just snogging my girlfriend?" He looked a little surprised when he realized what she was wearing. "And why are you wearing my clothes?"

Hermione opened and closed her mouth several times, her eyes locked on Ginny. Everything had gone wrong. Her supposedly perfect plan had ruined everything. Tears burned in her eyes and it was all she could do to not start sobbing.

"Answer me!" Harry cried, taking a step toward her.

The brunette cowered into the couch, knowing she deserved his anger. "Harry, I-I couldn't... I had to! I'm sorry!" Her eyes flicked to the still-mortified redhead. "I'm so sorry! I just had to see."

The common room went dangerously silent.

Harry shot a severe look at the other occupants of the room and they fled, leaving the four of them alone.

Hermione couldn't look up, not wanting to see the anger or betrayal on her friends' faces.

"Out with it," Ron announced coldly, obviously upset at finding someone snogging his sister and hurting his best friend at the same time. There was a trace of jealousy in his voice that didn't go unnoticed.

Hermione didn't know how she was going to manage it, and considered flinging herself out of a window to escape the situation. She lifted her gaze and caught Ginny's eye guiltily, and words came tumbling out before she could stop them. "I don't know when it happened, or why, or how, but I... I'm in love with Ginny." Ignoring startled noises from the boys, the brunette blazed on, knowing she had nothing left to lose. "I never planned to act on it. It's obvious you and Harry are made for each other, Gin." Her voice shook slightly. "I was fine with just being your friend forever, but I had an idea... I could use a Polyjuice potion and pretend to be Harry, just for a few hours, and go back to being your friend and living off the memories. I wasn't... I got..." A sob escaped her as she realized just how much she'd lost, echoing off the common room walls. "I'm so sorry."

The boys were stunned into silence, staring at Hermione with open mouths.

"You were just using me that day in the Owlery," Harry realized slowly. "Blimey, Hermione! I trusted you! And then I find you stabbing me in the back!"

Ron had gone beet red, and surprisingly, his eyes were shining with tears. "And with my sister!" His voice broke a little on the last word. He turned his glare on Ginny. "How could you? You  **know** what we said!"

Ginny shook her head frantically, signalling Ron to be quiet.

Ron seemed to hesitate, then turned back to the brunette on the sofa. "If you were anyone else, Hermione..." He shook his head, stomping away before he could do any real harm or let anyone see him cry.

Harry gave the brunette a disgusted look, turning his gaze on Ginny. "And you! You looked like you were enjoying it!"

"I-I thought she was you," Ginny yelped. "I didn't know, Harry! Honestly!"

Hermione buried her face in her hands, trying to block out everything else. Her chest felt so tight with misery that she wondered how she was able to breathe.

"I can't believe this," Harry fumed. He rounded on Hermione once more, clenching and unclenching his fists. "How could you? How dare you! You know what I go through at the Dursley's, and yet you want to take away my only shot at love? Bloody hell, Hermione!" He swore violently, running a hand through his hair roughly. Finally, seeming unable to say more, he turned and left the common room.

Hermione was openly crying, never having received such a violent lecture. Looking up, she met Ginny's gaze once more, almost surprised to see her still there.

The redhead returned Hermione's gaze for just a second before bolting out of the common room as well, following Ron.

Hermione watched her go, then sagged into the couch and bawled. She knew that she'd just lost her friends, the girl she loved, and any hope of ever getting things back to normal.


	2. Chapter 2

It was hours later when Hermione woke, not having realized that she'd cried herself to sleep. Her head felt stuffy and her chest ached from crying. A sullen glance at the window revealed the sun beginning to peek over the mountains, and Hermione knew the common room would soon fill with students heading to breakfast.

She dragged herself off the couch, making her way back to her room. Moving mechanically, she took off her Harry clothes, half-considering burning them, and changed into her school uniform. She was aware that she still had hours until classes started, but the girl couldn't stand being in the same tower as the friends she'd hurt so badly.

With that thought in mind, she left her room and slipped down the stairs, passing through the common room with a cringe. Hermione had no idea where she was going until she found herself walking out of the castle courtyard and onto the grounds.

She let her feet lead her through the grounds, winding up at the Black Lake. No matter where she looked, she saw memories replaying before her. Scenes from the Triwizard Tournament flashed before her, followed by images of her and Harry's Time-Turner adventure in their third year. Hermione expected to be crying, but her cheeks were dry.

 _Reckon I've cried myself out,_ she muttered inwardly, moving toward part of the forest and finding a secluded tree to sit against. At first, she tried to keep her mind clear of any stray thoughts, but soon found that she couldn't manage it. She started taking stock of her damages a few moments later, realizing that once the story of what she'd done got out, she'd have no friends left in the magical world.

The brunette was halfway through with a plan to escape the country when an airy voice interrupted her.

"Hello, Hermione." Without asking for permission, Luna sat beside the brunette with a happy sigh.

"Hi, Luna," Hermione answered after a moment, surprised at the scratchy sound of her own voice. A self-conscious blush darkened her cheeks. The last thing she needed was the eccentric blonde noticing that she was upset.

"It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?" The younger girl gave no sign that she'd noticed Hermione's emotions, instead smiling up at the lightening sky.

Hermione cleared her throat, unsure of how to deal with the girl. "I suppose so." She settled for staring ahead glumly, going back to planning how to take her leave of the country and hide from the people whose lives she'd ruined.

They were both silent for a while, the morning breeze tickling their faces.

Hermione had just figured out how to word a letter to her parents, requesting they pull her out of school, when Luna spoke again.

"They won't stay mad, you know."

The brunette shrank back against the tree with surprise. "What?" she squeaked. "What are you talking about?"

Luna absently picked up a leaf from the ground and turned it over in her hands, as though she was expecting it to reveal some astonishing knowledge. "Harry and all them." She gave the brunette a serene, knowing smile.

Hermione was torn between disbelief, fear, and resignation. "How do you know about that?" she asked in a shaky voice. "Is it all over the school?" A little voice inside her berated her for asking for the truth from Luna, of all people, but she was too drained to care, and Luna didn't seem the sort to lie about something like this.

Luna laughed, shaking her head. "Ginny told me. Did you know that today is the start of the Crumple-horned Snorkacks hibernation? They sleep for a week every-"

"When did you talk to Ginny?"

The blonde was unfazed by the interruption, her dreamy smile still fixed on her face. "She sent Pig over with a letter in the middle of the night. I was sure he was a Blibbering Humdinger until he came in and started singing to me."

Hermione bit her lip, aching to know what her (probably former) best friend had said. "Owls don't sing, Luna," she said slowly, wishing Luna would have a moment of sanity so she could answer Hermione's questions.

"You aren't listening, then. They have lovely songs," Luna answered dismissively, her eyes twinkling as though she had a secret Hermione wasn't privy to. "In fact, they sing a new one each time they make a delivery. It's really very remarkable."

Any hope that had risen in Hermione's chest was shattered with a heavy sigh. Luna wasn't going to be any help, and for all she knew, the blonde was wrong about her friends. Her best bet was to get out of Hogwarts and find somewhere where nobody knew who she was.

"You needn't cry, Hermione," Luna said softly, reaching out and touching the brunette's shoulder.

Hermione wanted to retort that she most certainly was not crying, but a little sniffle escaped her, and the younger girl offered her a handkerchief. Hermione took it, closing her eyes tightly to try and stop the fresh onslaught of tears. "Actually, Luna, I have every reason to cry," she retorted shakily. "Do you have any idea what I did? I've ruined everything!"

Luna sat patiently, watching the older girl and waiting for her to continue.

"Harry's furious at me, because he walked in and saw me kissing Ginny, and he has every right to be. I'm robbing him of happiness! And Ron has supposedly taken a liking to me, and I've gone and dashed his dreams, too." Hermione cringed, images from the night before flashing in front of her, reinforcing all the pain she'd wrought upon her friends and herself. "And Ginny..." Her voice trailed off into a stifled little sob. "I hurt her worst of all. I'm so selfish, Luna, that all I thought about was getting some time with her, not how it would hurt her if it went wrong."

They sat there in silence for a few moments, until Hermione growled and buried her face in her hands. "I'm so stupid!"

Luna let out a giggle. "That's not so. You're the brightest witch of our generation, Hermione Granger."

Hermione scoffed bitterly, surprised to feel arms wrap around her shoulders in a fierce hug.

She looked up to find Luna embracing her, leaving the brunette at a loss for what to do. Since Luna seemed so intent on holding onto Hermione, she opted to just sit there and accept it, rather than fight. She surprised herself by realizing that the blonde gave very comforting hugs, and the misery in her chest eased slightly. Hermione allowed herself to sink into the embrace and be held, choosing to forget about her emotions for a little while.

Luna released her after a few minutes, beaming at the older girl. "Everyone needs a hug from time to time," she announced. The blonde nodded at nothing in particular, getting to her feet. "It's nearly breakfast. You should come in to eat; it'll help you feel better."  She gave Hermione a dreamy look. "I know you don't like me very much, but if you want to talk, I'll listen." Then, with another light smile, she skipped off, humming a random melody as she made her way back to the castle.

Hermione stared after the girl bemusedly, feeling even more confused than she normally did after interacting with Luna.

Once the blonde was out of sight, the heaviness returned to Hermione's shoulders, and she sagged back against the tree, staring off into the forest. She wondered how long it would take to walk to a Muggle civilization, dismissing the thought a moment later when she felt the beginnings of hunger pangs.

The soft growl of her stomach surprised the girl; she had assumed her emotions would rid her of her appetite. With a sigh, she got to her feet and made her way back to the castle, hoping it was still early enough to avoid her friends in the Great Hall.

The brunette spent the entire walk across the grounds consoling herself with the idea that she was definitely awake early enough to avoid them, and after she'd eaten, she could slip away unnoticed and hide somewhere else in the castle. By the time she made it to the Great Hall, Hermione was relatively certain she was going to be able to avoid everyone all morning.

Even with all her reassurances, she still hesitated for just a moment outside the Great Hall, scared of who she'd see sitting at the Gryffindor table. Finally, she grit her teeth and stepped inside, prepared to flee if she was seen.

Despite all her hopes otherwise, all Hermione's friends were sitting at the table, though not all together.

Harry was sitting alone, looking livid as he nursed his coffee. About halfway down the table, Ginny sat with Ron and a few of her classmates, the former looking upset while Ron seemed unsure of what to do.

Hermione swore under her breath and hoped they hadn't seen her enter, slinking over by some people she recognized from her classes and sitting down near them. She slouched a little, trying to hide behind one of the boys beside her, and exchanged casual smiles with the people around her.

She'd just grabbed a sweet roll and was considering sneaking it off to her room when someone cleared their throat behind her.

Hermione turned slowly, dreading to see who it was. Despite all the brunette's prayers that it wasn't Ginny, the redhead stood before her with an almost pained look on her face.

"Hermione..." Ginny's voice cracked. "We need to talk."

Hermione's heart sank, and she wasn't hungry anymore.

"Please," Ginny added in a near-whisper.

Any comfort that she'd gained from her talk with Luna left, and Hermione let out a heavy sigh, willing herself not to cry.  _I put all that pain in Ginny's voice,_ she reminded herself bitterly.  _I owe her the chance to yell at me, too._

Ginny looked relieved when Hermione nodded, glancing down the table concernedly. Hermione followed the redhead's gaze, only slightly surprised to see Ron pleading with Harry. Before she could ask any questions, Ginny grabbed her arm and guided her out of the Great Hall.

Hermione allowed herself to be led far away from the Great Hall and into an abandoned dueling room.

Ginny didn't say anything and crossed her arms over her chest. When Hermione tried to speak, the redhead just held up a hand to silence her, watching the door and biting her lip uncertainly.

Hermione sank onto one of the dueling cushions, hugging her knees to her chest miserably. She didn't care to wonder what they were waiting on; she just wanted it to be over so she could escape.  _I wonder if I could get McGonagall to let me floo home..._

The door banged open and Ron all but threw Harry inside. Harry stumbled to stay on his feet, looking up indignantly to yell at Ron, but his eyes landed on Hermione instead and turned venomous.

"Sit down, mate," Ron commanded before Harry had a chance to say anything. The redheaded boy gave Harry a shove toward another cushion on the floor.

Harry looked irate. Only when Ginny murmured a "please" did he calm down slightly. With an obviously annoyed huff, he flopped onto a cushion near Hermione.

"Right," Ron said, exchanging a look with Ginny. "Reckon we're ready?"

Ginny gave a little nod, closing her eyes and inhaling shakily. "I suppose."

Neither of the Weaselys looked sure of how to begin, exchanging worried glances and shooting pleading looks at their impatient captives.

"Last night was a mess," Ginny said finally.

Harry snorted. "You can say that again," he muttered sourly.

"Harry," Ron said warningly, offering Hermione an apologetic look.

"I really am sorry, Harry," Hermione responded, unable to look at her former best friend. "I feel awful about what happened."

"Yeah?" Harry retorted, turning to face her. "I bet you didn't feel so awful last night while you were snogging my girlfriend!"

Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she buried her face in her hands. "What else do you want me to say, Harry?"

"Well, for starters—"

"Oi!" Ron yelled, silencing the fight that was about to start.

The air was tense, and Hermione looked up to find everyone exchanging strange looks. Ginny's eyes were on her and there was something indescribable swirling in them.

Before the brunette had time to wonder what it meant, Ginny's gaze flicked to Harry, and Hermione's heart sank at the loss. For just a moment, she'd felt like there was a connection between them again, but it was shattered with Harry catching the redhead's attention.

"Harry," Ginny began, her voice trembling slightly. "That wasn't me."

The dark-haired boy let out a bark of laughter. "'Course it was! I saw you with my own eyes, Ginny; I think I know my girlfriend when I see her!"

Ginny shot Ron a desperate look. The elder Weasely shrugged helplessly, and Ginny suddenly looked very weary and near tears.

"Don't kill each other," Ron warned his friends, taking Ginny's arm and leading her across the room.

The two Weaselys argued in hushed tones for a moment, then Ron seemed to relent and dug in his pocket. They returned to their friends, each holding a small sweet in their hands.

"Just... watch," Ron ordered quietly, unwrapping his sweet.

Ginny mirrored his actions, and they both ripped the treat in two. They wrapped one half of their sweet back up, then traded the other. With a nod at each other, the siblings ate the traded pieces and their bodies began to contort.

Within moments, the two Weaselys stood before their friends, but their positions had been reversed. Ginny was now clad in Ron's clothes, though they were baggy on her. Ron, on the other hand, was looking more than a little uncomfortable in Ginny's too-tight clothes.

Hermione stared at the siblings, wondering how they'd managed to switch clothes so quickly and easily. Understanding dawned a moment later, and she glanced between Ginny and Ron confusedly, wondering what they'd done to pull off their trick.

Beside her, Harry was doing the same thing, but once again, he scoffed. "Smoke and mirrors, guys? Really?"

"Oi, shut up, mate," the pseudo-Ginny said. "Let us explain."

Harry quieted down, looking very surly.

"Right. Gin?"

"Ron" started talking. "I know, this is confusing. It took Fred and George an hour to explain it to us." He sighed, squirming a little under the pressure. "See, I'm Ginny. These swap sweets, the twins invented them. They work sort of like a Polyjuice potion. Whoever touches the unwrapped sweet first leaves a sort of imprint in it. So if you eat one that someone else has touched, you assume their appearance. That's why we tear them in half; you need to be able to change back." Ginny put the other half of the swap sweet back in her mouth, and swallowed it.

Within moments she was standing before them again, with Ron still appearing to be Ginny at her side.

She gave Hermione and Harry a look that begged them to try to understand. "Look, Ron and I... well..."

Ron ate his original half of the swap sweet and returned to his true form, mirroring Ginny's anxious look. "Ginny's gay."

Ginny rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder. "Well put," she muttered sarcastically. "Ron here forgot to mention that he has a little crush, himself." Her eyes flicked to Harry nervously. "On Harry."

Harry remained silent, looking completely stunned.

Ron's entire face turned red and he grumbled under his breath.

Hermione tried to understand what exactly was going on, but couldn't quite grasp the sudden influx of information. All the ideas that had come together were irrationally complex, and she felt like her brain might melt if she thought too hard. She looked up at Ginny, who was watching her cautiously, raising her eyebrows helplessly.

"Gin and I thought it would be fine if we swapped with one another, just so we could get an idea of what it was like to, erm, be with the person we fancy." He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, avoiding Harry's gaze. "We've only done it a few times, but last night was all wrong."

Ginny nodded, wringing her hands absently. "Yeah. We always assumed Ron and Hermione were supposed to get together, and Harry and I, too. Neither of us wanted that, though, so..." She sighed, looking for the right words. "We swapped."

"So... Hermione  _wasn't_ snogging you?" Harry asked after a moment.

Ginny shook her head, a weak smile starting to form on her face. "Of course not. Why else do you think I nearly blew my cover to yell at Ron when you and I got back to the common room?" She went quiet, turning her gaze on Hermione shyly. "I was jealous."

Hermione felt like she was going to black out. She didn't dare hope for what she was slowly coming to see as the truth. It was too fantastic, too surreal...

"Jealous?" Harry repeated incredulously, leaning forward and scowling slightly. "What do you mean,  _jealous_?"

Ginny didn't shrink away, sparing the boy a glance. "Exactly what I said," she retorted. "I'm sure you know what it feels like to see someone snogging the girl you like." A satisfied little smirk appeared on her face as the barb sunk in.

"Hold on!" Harry's eyes were flashing with aggravated confusion. "Ginny, you agreed to date me! You said you liked me!"

A graceful blush appeared on the redhead's cheeks and Ron groaned in the background. "Yeah, um... I hate to tell you this, but that was Ron. It was the first time we swapped." She grinned nervously. "You can imagine how thrilled I was when he told me what happened. I ended up just playing along with it, sorry Harry. We weren't sure what else to do."

Harry groaned, burying his face in his hands. Ron gave the girls a meek little grin and knelt at his friend's side, consoling him quietly.

Ginny watched the boys for a moment, apparently satisfied when Harry didn't become violent or shove Ron away. Her gaze dropped to the floor and she bit her lip before looking at Hermione uneasily.

Hermione stared up at the younger girl, unable to do much of anything else. Her mind was still whirling and she knew she'd have questions for weeks after everything had died down.

"You're not angry, are you?" The redhead's voice was soft, barely above a whisper. "Blink once for yes and twice for no," she joked weakly when Hermione didn't respond.

Hermione swallowed. "No, Gin. I'm not. I just..."

Ginny seemed to melt with relief, sitting at Hermione's feet and smiling at the brunette.

"Really?" the older girl managed to ask, her heart pounding hopefully.

A quizzical expression took over the redhead's face. "Really what?"

"Do you, you know... fancy me?" Hermione blushed as she said it, still hardly believing that she was asking the question to Ginny, of all people.

"Oh." Ginny's cheeks darkened slightly. "Yeah, of course. I almost killed Ron after everything happened." A smirk crossed over her face. "Then he told me you started it, and we realized we'd buggered it up. We planned to tell you two today, and then I wrote Luna... She can be very comforting when you're upset, did you know?"

Hermione nodded. "I do, actually. She found me this morning while I was sitting by the lake," she added at Ginny's raised eyebrows. "She hugged me. It was... odd."

Ginny smirked. "That's Luna, though, isn't it?"

Hermione felt a little smile appear at the corners of her mouth, nodding again.

They went quiet, and Ginny's face grew serious. She spent a few moments studying her shoes before looking up at the brunette again. "Did you mean it? When you said you were in love with me?"

The older girl smiled, surprised at how light her chest suddenly felt at the knowledge that her friends didn't all hate her. "I meant it," she affirmed.

Ginny sat up on her knees and flung her arms around Hermione, burying her face in the brunette's hair. After a few moments of the embrace, she pulled away, her ears pink. "Sorry. I just... I was so worried about everything I could hardly sleep, and..."

A sudden burst of movement from the boys' side of the room caught their attention. Harry had gotten to his feet and was leaving the room. Ron stood, looking after his friend wistfully. After a moment, he looked over at the girls and managed a smile.

"You two all sorted, then?" he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Ginny glanced at Hermione quickly, shooting Ron a grin. "Yeah, we are."

Ron nodded, a flicker of relief on his face. "Brilliant."

Hermione glanced after Harry pointedly. "What about you two?"

Ron shrugged a little. "Dunno. He's a bit shocked." He looked like he wanted to say more, but just shrugged again.

"He'll come 'round," Ginny reassured her brother.

"Maybe," Ron agreed halfheartedly. "Well, who's up for breakfast?" He seemed a little more cheerful at the thought of food, eliciting laughs from the girls.

"Sounds lovely," Ginny responded, getting to her feet and offering Hermione a hand.

The brunette allowed the younger girl to pull her to her feet, a giddy rush flowing through her when Ginny slipped her hand into Hermione's.

Ron led the trio out of the room, and they made their way back to the Great Hall. Most of the castle was awake and at breakfast by then, though Ron found them a spot and made a beeline for it.

Hermione sensed a pair of eyes on her and looked up, seeing Luna smiling at her knowingly. The blonde offered Hermione a little wave, and Hermione responded in kind before Ginny gave her a gentle tug toward the table.

They ate together quietly, Ginny hand resting on Hermione's knee. Casual conversation seemed silly after all the serious talking they'd just done, but it slipped out anyway. Ron stayed quiet, and was only picking at his food, an odd sight for him. When the girls were finished, he looked almost relieved to be leaving the Great Hall.

The trio walked toward the common room, still having plenty of time before classes started, and had no sooner reached the moving staircases than Draco Malfoy appeared, his cronies in tow.

"Ah, if it isn't the little Weasels. Oh, and their Mudblood friend!" He looked pleased with himself, putting on a thoughtful face and stroking his chin theatrically. "I've heard some very interesting things about you three lately."

Ron and Ginny bristled, and the younger Weasely shifted slightly, shielding Hermione from the Slytherin's wrath.

"Yes, what was it, Goyle? Oh, that's right. Granger's a bloody dyke!" Malfoy's face dropped into a sneer. "And she was whoring it up with Saint Potter's girlfriend, of all people!"

Ginny let out a protective growl, and Ron muttered a "calm down" to her that had no effect on the younger Weasely. "What twisted world do you live in that makes it all right to talk shit to people like they're nothing? Hermione's already been more courageous in the last day than you've been in your whole life!"

"Gin," Hermione pleaded, wanting to escape before anyone got jinxed, "drop it. It's not worth it."

"Did you hear what he said about you?" Ginny exclaimed, rounding on the brunette for a moment. She wheeled back to Malfoy, trembling with fury. "Maybe there's something you haven't heard about yet, you little prat. I'm rather famous for my Bat Bogey hexes."

Malfoy's companions paled, inching away as sneakily as they could. Malfoy's eyes flashed with fear, though he kept his face calm. "Why should I be afraid of you?" His voice was haughty. "You're just as dirty as the Mudblood. Disgusting, really."

Ron made an indignant noise, but kept his distance, seeing that Ginny was about to blow her top.

"You think we're disgusting, do you?" Ginny whipped her wand out and took a menacing step forward. "Obviously you've been avoiding a mirror, Malfoy."

Malfoy scowled and was about to retort when a voice came from behind them.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry growled, stepping between his friends and the Slytherins. He had his wand out, a frown on his face. "And do it quickly, or else you'll have Ginny and me both to deal with." A little smile played across the young man's face. "And you certainly don't want that."

The blonde boy looked like he wanted to say something, but his gaze dropped to the wands aimed at him and he thought better of it, tossing a few muttered insults at the group before turning and fleeing.

Harry nodded once when Malfoy had disappeared from sight, tucking his wand away. He didn't turn around, his back still to his friends.

"Thanks, Harry," Hermione offered weakly after a few moments of silence. She expected an outburst, but he said nothing.

Ginny didn't put her wand away, retreating to Hermione's side. She watched Harry carefully, ready for him to make a wrong move toward the brunette.

Harry let out a heavy sigh and turned. "It was nothing. He's a git." He avoided their gazes for a few moments, finally looking up at the trio. "Look, I... I'm not going to pretend like I understand any of what you all told me this morning, because I don't right now. But I'm not angry, just mostly confused." His gaze went to Ron. "Sorry, Ron. You know I can't, I don't..."

Ron just nodded, clearing his throat quietly.

Harry looked a little guilty, his shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry, 'Mione," he added, scuffing the floor with his shoe absently. "I just need a little time to adjust."

The dark haired boy didn't wait for a response, muttering a quick "see you in class" and heading in the direction of the Great Hall.

Ron quickly excused himself to the restroom, leaving the two girls alone in the corridor.

Ginny finally put her wand away, giving the brunette a smile. "Just to be clear," she joked, "that was actually Harry and not you, right?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, Ginny, that's right."

Ginny glanced the way Harry had gone, relief easing into her face. "I'm glad he's pulled his head out of his arse. I was afraid I'd have to hex him, too."

"There will be no hexing of anyone," Hermione retorted, elbowing the redhead gently. "Do you think things will ever be the same?" Her voice was wistful as she realized that her friendship with Harry may have been damaged beyond repair.

Ginny hummed thoughtfully, slipping her hand into Hermione's. "I suppose it will take a while, but I'm sure things will end up right. The three of you will run off to save the world and leave the rest of us behind, I bet. But I don't know if you can consider it the same if you're dating me." A smirk passed over her face, then contorted into an anxious look. "Er, you are... right?"

Hermione gave the redhead a smile and nodded. "Unless I'm dreaming, which, after everything that's happened today, is altogether possible." She frowned slightly, hoping she wasn't still asleep in the common room. It was nearly more plausible for everything to have been a figment of her imagination. "Pinch me?"

A cheeky grin grew on the redhead's face. "I have a better idea." She flushed with embarrassement, but stepped up close to Hermione and hesitated for a moment, inches away from the brunette.

Both girls' breath hitched at the closeness, hearts suddenly pounding with anticipation. Ginny leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Hermione's lips, the first true kiss between the two, and sent shivers down both their spines.

Hermione had thought the fake Ginny's kisses had been wonderful, but they didn't compare to the real thing. Her head was spinning, and she knew she wasn't dreaming. She rested her forehead against Ginny's when they broke apart, a giddy smile on her face. "It's real," she whispered, not really aware she was speaking.

Ginny laughed and pressed a kiss to the tip of Hermione's nose. "It is. And I can't wait to kiss you again."

"Then do," Hermione teased, all her previous tension gone. She felt light as a feather and Ginny's kiss had sent her heart soaring.

"I would, but if I do, I don't think I'll be able to stop," Ginny admitted with another blush. "And I'd never hear the end of it if I made you late for class."

Hermione giggled, knowing how true the words were. She stepped away and glanced at her watch, noticing that they had barely any time to fetch their things before morning classes started. "Oh, Merlin! Ginny, I've got to go!"

The redhead looked a little disappointed but nodded. "I'll see you later, then?"

Hermione agreed, pausing for just a moment before wrapping the girl up in a tight hug. "Sorry, I didn't realize the time."

Ginny waved the apology away. "It's all right, 'Mione. Just go. I'll save you a spot at lunch."

Hermione grinned and hurried away to get her books, her mind still whirling. When she arrived in her room, she saw her Harry clothes and hesitated, amazed at what the last few hours had brought about. Confused as she still was about everything, she was content in the knowledge that her girlfriend would explain it all to her eventually.

A silly smile appeared on her face once again at the thought, and she had to force herself to gather her things before she started daydreaming. She swapped her books out and grabbed some parchment to take notes on, making a mental note to write Fred and George a thank you note. Hermione knew she should be angry with them for creating something that was probably illegal, but she really couldn't be bothered.  _After all, all's fair in love and war,_ she mused with a chuckle.

She grabbed her bag and headed out of the room, Ginny on her mind and joy in her heart.  Everything was going to turn out all right, after all.


End file.
